HELP - Bad experience with Phyto Index II !!

[ericajoy]

Has anyone else had terrible results from Phyto Index 2? I self-relaxed my natural hair yesterday (I probably should have gone to the salon, yes, I realize that now). But my hair is short and it was all natural and I figured it would be no problem for me to do it myself.

I've used Index I in the past with good results, but after the Index 2, my hair is AWFUL. It's dry, crinkly, matted...there's one part on top that came out fine, but the back and sides (the kinkier/curlier parts) are just BAD.

Has anyone else had this experience?? Some of the reviews I read on amazon describe this happening too. I'm going to see a good stylist next week so hopefully will fix this soon but OMG I hope my hair doesn't all break off in the meantime...

Any advice for how to baby my hair to minimize the damage??

 

[Theresamonet]

Did you neutralize well? Deep condition afterwards? I need more info about your process.

 

[ericajoy]

Theresamonet,

Thanks! Well, I mixed and applied the relaxer as directed but left it on for 20 minutes (rather than the max of 25) based on results of my strand test. I wanted it to still have a little wave and not be bone straight, and it seemed like that timing would do it. Maybe I didn't leave it long enough, in retrospect.

Then, I neutralized (with the poo that comes with the relaxer) until there was no more pink indicator in the shampoo -- I usually shampoo once with neutralizing shampoo, rinse with half ACV / half water to help neutralize thoroughly, and then shampoo again with neutralizing poo until no more pink shows up.

Then I used the 'milky restructurer' that comes with the relaxer kit for 10 minutes as directed, then rinsed out and DC'ed with Shea Moisture conditioner and Joico treatment balm for 30 min., under the dryer with a plastic cap.

After I rinsed out the DC it was clear that most of my hair was underprocessed, crinkly, and matting together -- a mess.

I'm guessing this is just underprocessing, but I don't ever remember my hair coming out like this before and I know I've had underprocessed hair before. But I haven't had a real relaxer in my hair for ~10 years, so I don't remember.

Do you use Phyto? Have you ever had this happen?

 

[ericajoy]

Bumping ... any other Phyto users had this? What did you do to fix it?

 

[isobell]

I used phyto in the past and it is notoriously hard to neutralize. I would leave the neutralizing shampoo on for like 5 mins at a time to ensure it was really neutralized. Also I noticed with phyto my hair didn't need the fortification of a keratin based protein treatment like joico, it responded better to collagen, like emergencee. Phyto did make my hair dryer, so if I were you I would use a chelating shampoo like ORS creamy aloe shampoo, then use a purely moisture based deep conditioner with heat for 30-40 mins and see how your hair feels.
Despite all this I think phyto is one of the best relaxers out there, because it left my hair with lots of strength and texture. You just have to be more consistent with the moisturizing deep conditioners.

Oh and that milky reconstructor sucks! It made my hair so dry the couple of times I used it. That might be the culprit, next time I'd skip it if I were you. There are other light reconstructors you can use after relaxing your hair that are much better. Just do a search for post relaxer regimens.

 

[Mystic]

I had the exact same problem when i was relaxed and i had to do a corrective relaxer with elucence lye relaxer. My hair was a lot more moisturized after that and there was nothing negative that occurred after the correction.

 

[chrstndiva]

I have used Phyto II for years with no problem as long as I don't use the milky reconstructor. It's extremely drying and left my hair feeling like straw and tangled.

A nice deep moisturizing conditioning treatment (no protein) remedied the situation (like Humectress deep conditioner or Keracare Humecto conditioner)